Sustainable Energy Innovation

Here is your chance to change the course of history. In this eight-week experience, you will begin developing profitable social and technological innovations to tackle our energy and climate obligations.

Other world-changing innovations have come from centralized programs. For example, the Manhattan Project to develop the atomic bomb was a massive effort, but only a few dozen knew the big picture. Meeting our energy and climate obligations requires a similar, but more wide-ranging, effort. We need thousands of people in thousands of places with thousands of ideas - and the courage to act on them. You are those people! 

A few of your predecessors. Click here for their stories.

Why 150 tons?

One estimate is that every 150 tons of CO2 emissions will result in a climate change related death. Of course, any estimate like this is going to be very rough with lots of assumptions. The actual figure may be higher (but, hey, it may also be lower). Either way, 150 tons gives you a measurable challenge. How many deaths can your innovation prevent? Together, how many deaths can we prevent? Let this be your motivation as you develop your innovations.  

$ Funding $  

While most of the value provided by this course is in the content, I also have some funding to support your projects as you develop them. So, if there is something you need to buy for your project, please let me know. Of course no guarantees, but in the past I have been able to pay for things such as a solar oven, an infrared camera for energy audits, and travel to speak with experts working on similar projects. Also, at least one project from this course (as voted on by participants) will receive up to $5,000 to continue their project work. You may try to develop a project that requires very little start-up funding, or a project that requires lots of funding. Either type of project is eligible for the $5,000 in seed funding. If your project has a large budget, you can use the seed funding to prepare proposals for larger sources of funding. 

Welcome to the course, I'm glad you're here! ~ Leidy Klotz

GET STARTED: Visit the Course Information to read outcomes, objectives and more details about course activities.

NEW TO NETWORK? If this is your first course in Canvas Network, go to Canvas Student Orientation to learn how to configure Canvas to meet your needs and set up your student profile page.

COURSE MATERIALS AND ACTIVITIES: Below, and in the Modules, you can access the course materials that are available just for you. Additional conversation will be on Twitter using #150tons.